Unlocking Panasonic DMR-UBT1

[bugster70]

Hi guys, I bought myself a Panasonic DMR-UBT1 Blu-Ray player/recorder earlier this year as part of a new HT system. I've lived overseas for a while so brought back a bunch of DVDs and Blu-Rays with me. My new player is locked to Region 4 and won't play any of these discs (while the cheap 'n' nasty Samsung Blu-Ray player I bought while overseas as a temporary solution plays anything!). I've called Panasonic Australia and they've said I can take my player (with proof of purchase) to my local agent and they will unlock it for me. But the catch is that they can only unlock it for DVDs, not Blu-Ray.

 

Apologies if this has been discussed a million times before (I did try doing a search for this topic), but is there any way I can unlock this player for Blu-Rays as well? Seems silly that a cheap unit will play anything I throw at it and yet a top-of-the-line Panasonic unit won't. Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

[Spearmint]

Unfortunately, the code reset is only for DVD's. 

 

There maybe a hardware upgrade available, but they're usually quite expensive IMO.

http://www.gattiweb.com/bluraymod.html

 

You may find the key sequence online, I purchased one of these and changed my three Panasonic players.

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Panasonic-DVD-Blu-ray-player-multi-region-hack-remote/110602620681?

 

Quote

This remote will send the special service codes to enable permanent multi-region DVD playback (including RCE discs) on most recent European Region 2 and Australian Region 4 Panasonic DVD players, DVD recorders and some Blu-ray players.

 

* Unlimited use * : remote can be used as many times as you want

 

The mod takes about 1 minute to carry out and basically involves pointing the remote at your player, pressing the button, waiting until the green LED on the remote goes out and then switching the player off.

 

See compatibility list below - ignore any suffix letters after the main model number of your player.

 

Note that for Blu-ray players it will only enable multi-region playback of normal DVD's, not of Blu-ray discs. For full Blu-ray and DVD multi-region ability on some older Panasonic Blu-ray players please see my other items.

 

Supplied complete with batteries and simple step by step instructions.

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Spearmint

[bugster70]

Thanks Spearmint, that's really disappointing to hear. I tried an online search before calling Panasonic and can find codes for just about every Panasonic Blu-Ray player under the sun except mine! I've also seen those remotes on eBay but won't need one for the DVD unlock - Panasonic said they'd do this for me free of charge if I produced a receipt for my unit and it was still within warranty, both of which apply in my case.

 

I'd be more than happy to pay for unlocking the Blu-Ray function but it sounds like this can't be done. Didn't know about hardware upgrades though, so will look into that more. But it's sounding like I'll have to dig out my crappy cheap player to play my overseas Blu-Ray discs...

[cwt]

4 hours ago, bugster70 said:

I'd be more than happy to pay for unlocking the Blu-Ray function but it sounds like this can't be done. Didn't know about hardware upgrades though, so will look into that more. But it's sounding like I'll have to dig out my crappy cheap player to play my overseas Blu-Ray discs...

I wouldn't settle when your pana can play back numerous codecs [like my ubd900 which is very similar] bugster Convert all your bd's and dvds with dvdfab or similar and load them into a usb hdd  

Strips all the region code nuisance and gives you a choice of containers like mkv ;

Quote

Mass Storage -MPEG2(TS/PS)/ MP4/ MKV/ JPEG/ MPO

 

[TP1]

This site produces an enhanced  firmware  that  unlocks regions and removes  the annoying bluray restrictions.  It works well and  firmware is up to date.

 

https://www.regionfreedom.com/index.php/enhanced-firmware/panasonic-blu-ray-players/67-dp-ub420-dp-ub424-dp-ub820-dp-ub824-dp-ub9000-dp-ub9004/182-dp-ub420-424-820-824-9000-9004-enhanced-firmware-for-selected-models-eb-ef-eg-gn-p-pc

 

I have done it on another Panasonic bluray player and am in the process of doing the same for the UB820

Edited October 27, 2018 by Tasso

[thesnodger]

Hi Tasso,

 

Can you tell me how much you had to "contribute" to get this firmware, and on the UB820 does this remove the audio restriction on MKV files (limited to regular Dolby Digital or DTS) or not?

 

If I could get the UB820 to play MKV files with DTS-HD or TrueHD Atmos (eitther networked or USB) that would be amazing.

 

Thanks very much!

 

JG

[captaineos]

I'm interested about the frame rate handling too.  If you unlock the firmware for MKV playback of re-muxed Blu Rays, how gracious it the player in matching frame rate?